Omaha Forums

Posted: **Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:17 pm**

Sam & Louie's New York Pizzeria coming to Bluffs

Sam & Louie's New York Pizzeria began in Omaha in 1996 and has since opened locations in other communities on that side of the Missouri River.

Now, say hello to Council Bluffs. . . .

(Kenyon) Nelson and his wife, Becky, of McClelland, and their daughter and son-in-law, John and Carrie Renshaw, of Council Bluffs, are the city's franchise owners who plan to open their new business in the former Valentino's location in the Shoppes of Madison Avenue. Valentino's closed several weeks ago.

Nelson said he expects the new restaurant will open by mid-April. . . .

The restaurant will cover almost 3,400 square feet with a seating capacity of 144. The plans also call for a 300-square-foot outdoor patio and a 44-seating capacity party room, particularly nice for children's activities, Nelson said.

Carry-outs will be available and delivery service is planned later, he said.

Posted: **Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:22 pm**

I think that Valentino's have been closed longer than a few weeks...

It should be a decent location, visibility and a lot of residential.

Posted: **Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:39 pm**

Brad wrote:I think that Valentino's have been closed longer than a few weeks...

It should be a decent location, visibility and a lot of residential.

Come on Brad, you KNOW it should be Downtown.

Posted: **Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:43 pm**

nebugeater wrote:
Brad wrote:I think that Valentino's have been closed longer than a few weeks...

It should be a decent location, visibility and a lot of residential.
Come on Brad, you KNOW it should be Downtown.

I am guessing that everything in this store will be from the closed downtown location...

Posted: **Mon Mar 02, 2009 7:41 am**

Sam & Louie's is not going in the former Valentino's site. A correction was printed in the Nonpareil. It is going in towards the other end of the strip mall by the bank. I think the Valentino's bay would be a better location for having an outdoor patio.

Posted: **Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:13 am**

Thanks for catching that bargainhunter!

Posted: **Mon Jul 13, 2009 7:45 am**

Any one have any info on possible open date? Â I drive by everyday & can see there is some work going on. Â It doesn't look like the walls are even sheet rocked yet.

Posted: **Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:42 am**

A couple months ago their website said opening in June. Â Maybe they meant 2010? Â :;): Â

j/k, right now their website says opening July 2009. Â No way they'll make that. Â I don't see how they'll be open before Labor Day. Â Not sure why this is dragging on so long.

Posted: **Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:08 am**

bargainhunter wrote:Any one have any info on possible open date? I drive by everyday & can see there is some work going on. It doesn't look like the walls are even sheet rocked yet.

It's a step closer to opening, they got their sign on the exterior of the building now. Â I am so there when it opens....

Posted: **Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:46 am**

Me too. I have not eaten at a Sam & Louie's before and I don't want to start any debates, but CB is seriously lacking in good pizza.

Posted: **Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:40 pm**

Let's stick to the topic at hand please. Â If you cannot, your post will be deleted.

As to progress on Sam and Louie's, sheet rock is up, work crew is in there currently, so they're pluggin' away.

Posted: **Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:50 am**

Did it ever open? Â The website said mid September:

Mid September 2009!
1851 Madison Suite 723
Council Bluffs, IA 51503

Posted: **Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:41 pm**

i thought so? Â I've seen ads in the Nonpareil for specials...

Posted: **Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:40 am**

The lights were on tonight, but no cars in the parking lot.

Posted: **Fri Oct 02, 2009 7:44 am**

Not open as of last week. Â I have tried calling there about once a week for a while & no one answers.

Posted: **Fri Oct 02, 2009 9:31 am**

It looked like they were having people in for interviews a week or so ago, I would imagine they'll be open shortly.

Knock on wood

Posted: **Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:13 pm**

From the looks of things, nearly all the interior work is done. Â Not sure about the kitchen. Â Next door a new joint called Johnny's Cantina is underway.

Posted: **Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:36 am**

icejammer wrote:From the looks of things, nearly all the interior work is done. Not sure about the kitchen. Next door a new joint called Johnny's Cantina is underway.

Any info on what type of place Johnny's Cantina will be?

Posted: **Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:27 am**

I'm assuming they'll be serving alcohol and food, don't really know anything about it.

On a bright note, the 'Opening Soon' sign is now down at Sam and Louie's, looks like they might be open for business, I'll have to check it out later.

Posted: **Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:28 am**

I am very certain that Sam & Louie's is open. Â Last night, there were TONS of cars in that parking lot and Sam and Louie's had a flashing neon sign that I looked like it said Open.

Posted: **Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:23 pm**

Sam & Louie's is now open as of yesterday.

Posted: **Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:56 am**

Sam & Louies' had a very full parking lot on Saturday night. Â Let's hope they do well and attract other restaurants/bars to that area. Â I still hope to get a great place in the old Valentino's location (which I still think is where Sam & Louie's should have gone).

Posted: **Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:58 am**

Took the wife Friday night for the first time. I agree and would have hoped they could have moved into the old Valentino's location, but ho hum. Especially since next door opening soon (?) is Johnny's Catina. And judging by its name, it will likely just be a bar.

The food was pretty good. Pizza was great, the ravioli needs some work, but the marinara sauce with it was great.

Posted: **Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:04 am**

Ate at Sam & Louie's last night & they were working on Johnny's Cantina. They were still doing interior work, but the exterior sign was lit up. From the front it looks small.

Posted: **Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:42 am**

Looks as though Johnny's Cantina is open. Â Don't know if its just a bar or if they serve food.

Posted: **Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:08 pm**

they will also serve mexican food there. Â The owner said it's not going to be super fancy, but based on the food at their other establishments, i'm sure it will be good.

Posted: **Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:27 am**

What other places do they own?

Posted: **Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:03 pm**

the stadium, , scott st. pub, jd tuckers. Â Like i said, they have good food, plenty of tvs, and you can spit your peanut shells on the floor

Posted: **Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:59 pm**

thenewguy wrote:the stadium, , scott st. pub, jd tuckers. Like i said, they have good food, plenty of tvs, and you can spit your peanut shells on the floor

Thanks. Â Good to know. Â We like Scott St. Â Its kind of our stand by when we can't decide where to go eat.

Posted: **Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:19 pm**

Is this place good? Â They have a couple places in Lincoln.

Posted: **Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:32 am**

Linkin5 wrote:Is this place good? They have a couple places in Lincoln.

Is Sam & Louie's good? Â We have eaten there once & thought it was pretty good. Â But, like I have stated before, IMO good pizza is hard to come by in Council Bluffs.

Posted: **Sun Jan 10, 2010 4:46 pm**

bargainhunter wrote: Is Sam & Louie's good? We have eaten there once & thought it was pretty good. But, like I have stated before, IMO good pizza is hard to come by in Council Bluffs.

It's been years ago, but it was either Pizza Counter or Pizza King that I had and it was pretty close to what you'd get at Big Fred's. Â Crisp thin crust and plenty of toppings. Â I can't recall which one it was for sure, all I know is it had "pizza" as the first part of it's name.

Posted: **Mon Jan 11, 2010 7:47 am**

bbinks wrote:
bargainhunter wrote: Is Sam & Louie's good? We have eaten there once & thought it was pretty good. But, like I have stated before, IMO good pizza is hard to come by in Council Bluffs.

It's been years ago, but it was either Pizza Counter or Pizza King that I had and it was pretty close to what you'd get at Big Fred's. Crisp thin crust and plenty of toppings. I can't recall which one it was for sure, all I know is it had "pizza" as the first part of it's name.

We've tried them both and thought they were both actually quite bad. Â Not just not good pizza, but bad. Â Thanks for the suggestion though.

Posted: **Mon Jan 11, 2010 8:08 am**

Have you tried Lansky's? Â They have a location in Omaha as well and its far better than any national chain that there is here.

Posted: **Mon Jan 11, 2010 12:01 pm**

bbinks wrote:
bargainhunter wrote: Is Sam & Louie's good? We have eaten there once & thought it was pretty good. But, like I have stated before, IMO good pizza is hard to come by in Council Bluffs.

It's been years ago, but it was either Pizza Counter or Pizza King that I had and it was pretty close to what you'd get at Big Fred's. Crisp thin crust and plenty of toppings. I can't recall which one it was for sure, all I know is it had "pizza" as the first part of it's name.

Probably Pizza King if it was a thin crust. Â Pizza Counter is light years better than Pizza King, but that's not saying a whole lot. Â Old River, IMO, is hands-down the best pizza in CB.

Posted: **Mon Jan 11, 2010 12:06 pm**

I thought Old River was good as well. Â Is it locally owned?

Posted: **Mon Jan 11, 2010 12:44 pm**

Brad wrote:I thought Old River was good as well. Is it locally owned?

The franchise is locally owned, the company originated in Bemidji, MN. Â To the best of my knowledge, this is the only franchise location so far.

Posted: **Tue Jan 12, 2010 7:39 am**

Ok, I will give you Lansky's & Old River. Â They both have pretty decent pizza. Â Old River we thought was over priced though. Â We haven't tired Dan's pizza yet.

Posted: **Wed Jun 30, 2010 7:38 am**

http://southwestiowanews.com/articles/2 ... 568365.txt

New eatery: Where John Wayne might feel at home
By TIM ROHWER, Staff Writer
timothy.rohwer@nonpareilonline.com
Published: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 10:40 AM CDT

There’s a new place in town where folks can come and relax and enjoy Mexican food with their favorite beverage, while keeping abreast of sports and news on the big screen televisions.

It’s where John Wayne might feel right at home. In fact, he’s all over the place.

It’s Johnny’s Cantina, 1851 Madison Ave.

“My dad decorated the place,” said co-owner Kevin Culjat. “There are a lot of John Wayne pictures, a lot of Americana in here.”

This is the fourth venture in the restaurant/bar business for Culjat and his family. They also own the Scott Street Pub in downtown Council Bluffs and two downtown Omaha establishments – the Stadium Club and J.D. Tuckers.

“My wife wanted to come out east,” Culjat said of this latest business, because many of their longtime patrons live in that part of the city. “We started looking at this location last summer. It was a nice size.”

After building everything from scratch, Johnny’s Cantina opened last December. It’s named after Culjat’s father, who started into this field back in 1964.

Johnny’s Cantina seats about 50 people comfortably and offers three 50-inch televisions. On the menu, patrons can enjoy soft tacos, enchiladas, burritos and green chili burritos. Appetizers include nachos, taco salads, salsa and chips, guacamole and chips, chicken tortilla or green chili soups, homemade green chili sauce by cook Joe Leonard “that people love,” and various cheese dips.

“We do a ton of food,” Culjat said.

Patrons can wash that down with a wide variety of beers, including seven on tap. Other drinks popular with the clientele include frozen margaritas and piña coladas.

Johnny’s Cantina is open Mondays through Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. It’s possible, come fall and the football season, it might open earlier on Saturdays.

“We’ve been pleasantly surprised,” Culjat said of the business.

Posted: **Mon Sep 27, 2010 8:16 pm**

I "coming soon" sign is up in the old Valentino's location for a restaurant called "Puerto Vallarta".
There is an out of area # posted for jobs.

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Sam & Louie's (Shoppes on Madison)

Sam & Louie's (Shoppes on Madison)